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Reggie Miller made no bones about the collapse of the Los Angeles Clippers.
After taking a dominant 3-1 lead in the series, the Clippers had three chances to eliminate the Denver Nuggets and advance to a date in the Western Conference Finals against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers. But they squandered double-digit leads in Games 5, 6 and 7, cementing one of the biggest collapses in franchise history.
“That curse is real,” Miller said. “The whole marketing scheme of the Clippers was to disfigure the Los Angeles Lakers and their history. “There’s a new sheriff in town, we’re taking over Los Angeles!” Their focus was LeBron, AD and the Lakers, and they were one game away from doing so. It was a total collapse.
“Now we hear that there were chemical problems? Come on. Why did we not know about chemical problems before? Don’t be cryptic, Paul George. I want names. If they’re talking about getting rid of Doc Rivers, who will they bring in that’s better than Doc? Paul George needs to start seeing himself. “
Along with Brian Anderson on play-by-play, Miller and Chris Webber will provide analysis for the Western Conference Finals on TNT. The two basketball icons spoke to a variety of outlets in a press call Wednesday to see a preview of the Lakers-Nuggets series.
“I love that Denver is making people believe,” Webber said. “I love how deep they are and I hope the coach [Michael] Malone gets the credit he deserves. If you talk to players who have played for him, they will tell you how much they enjoyed playing for him. They are a great story. “
Kim Klement – USA Today Sports
Miller, a Hall of Famer who was lethal behind the three-point line, mentioned how the Nuggets-Lakers series will offer a different style of play than the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 1, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat combined for 76 3-pointers, but Miller noted that there will be a very different pace in the West.
“The Lakers made 19 3-pointers in that closing game against Houston, but they’re not a great three-point shooting team,” Miller said. “Denver relies a lot on that, so the Lakers can’t let there be a big gap. If you’re a Lakers, you can’t let Denver hit 15 when you only hit five. They have to be at striking distance, but they won’t shoot as many as Miami and Boston. Those two teams are based on that three-point line. “
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have starred for the Nuggets during their historic tiebreaker, winning back-to-back series after being three games to one behind. They will undoubtedly pose problems for the Lakers, a team that lacks depth behind James and Davis. But an obvious problem for Denver is finding a way to stop an unstoppable force in James.
“Nobody can control LeBron,” Webber said. But Denver plays defense in a lot of different ways. I like Denver as much as anyone else’s opportunities after what they’ve shown. “
The bubble has served as the great equalizer in this year’s NBA playoffs, giving players the opportunity to stand out, or be exposed, on a neutral surface. Webber believes this series will define Howard’s tenure with the Lakers.
“Dwight Howard is the only person who can control Jokic,” Webber said. “I think AD can, but does AD want to play center? And I’m not saying that Howard will stop Jokic, but he can move his feet sideways and he’s long. His ability to get into the passing lanes and keep his hands up in Jokic’s face, that will be very important. “
Isaiah J. Downing – USA Today Sports
The stars win the NBA championship, but in the shadows behind MVP’s impressive performances lies the solid foundation provided by the players who embrace their role. For the Nuggets to have a legitimate shot at eliminating the Lakers, Paul Millsap will need to play an important role on both sides of the court. On defense, Millsap has the potential to help limit James and Davis, as well as quietly deliver his inside-out arsenal effectively on offense.
“If Game 5 and Game 7 [from the Clippers series] Paul Millsap’s version comes out, then all bets are off, ”Miller said. “If he plays anywhere close to that consistently in this series, then the Nuggets are a different team with a different option.”
Miller explained that the series difference will ultimately be defined by adjustments, an area in which the Nuggets have thrived in the first two rounds.
“The Lakers’ best team is when Davis is in the five,” Miller said. “Frank Vogel will have to play Davis against Jokic. He’ll have to pressure Jokic on the offensive end, and he can get Jokic into foul trouble. It will be interesting to see how they mix and match, and the battle of the coach showdown. “
“You don’t expect the Lakers to win. I know that everyone is disappointed, and so am I, that they are not going to see the battle of Los Angeles, but do not sleep with the Denver Nuggets. ”
You can follow Justin Barrasso on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
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